Payton Tolle in the postseason seems like a great thing

There are a few different conversations about Payton Tolle's current existence.

We can start with the pitcher's popularity and how it ranks among all Boston professional athletes. While there is a case to be made that he has landed at the top of the list, the star power built up by Drake Maye and Jayson Tatum probably still puts them over the Red Sox pitcher.

Maybe the focus should be squarely on how good a pitcher Tolle has become, as was put on display in the Red Sox's 4-1 win over the Royals Sunday. In that start, not only did the lefty record his sixth start of going six or more innings without giving up a run, tying him for the club record for any pitcher 23 years old or younger.

He is also not wearing down but is only getting better, despite throwing a lifetime-high 143 innings. Since Aug. 1 - a span of eight starts - Tolle has managed a 2.44 ERA, compiling the second-most strikeouts (63) in the majors over that span. (As a quick aside, he has still yet to throw more than 97 pitches in any start this season.)

Then there was that immaculate inning in the first inning, the first one thrown by a Red Sox pitcher since Chris Sale did it in 2021, marking the eighth in Red Sox history.

But it's not just what he's doing. It's how he's doing it.

The saluting of Chad Tracy upon entering the clubhouse each day. The smirk sent the way of pitching coach Andrew Bailey before throwing that final pitch of the momentous first frame. The kind of on-field reactions he displays in between the foul lines, oftentimes mirroring the emotions of those either on the Wiffleball fields of New England or the Fenway Park stands.

The entire package is why the idea of Tolle enter into a postseason run - especially one that includes some pitches thrown at Fenway - is too good not to dream on.

Sure, there was a taste of Tolle in the postseason a year ago. Those seven pitches to Trent Grisham in the bottom of the eighth inning in Game 2 of the wild card series at Yankee Stadium was the amuse-bouche. It's fair to say all parties involved are ready for the whole steak dinner.

Tolle has earned that right to stand center stage outside of the regular season. And nobody rooting for the Red Sox is going to turn down the opportunity to see him play postseason ringmaster. (By the way, he is the one player who does actually feel like deserves to be wearing a top hat when pitching.)

Right now, it appears the Red Sox are lining things up to have Tolle pitch a potential Game 3 in the unavoidable best-of-three series against the Yankees in the Bronx, with Sonny Gray and Ranger Suarez likely slotted in for the first two games. So maybe there isn't even an opportunity to see what a return to the mound would look like for the southpaw, which would be somewhat of a shame for those soaking in all the emotion of the postseason - and potentially a misstep for the Red Sox.

Tolle has not only been nails in recent weeks, and virtually all season, but he has dominated the Yankees in his two outings against them this season, giving up one run on four hits over 13 innings, striking out 18 and walking just three. Certainly, Gray has earned the opportunity to pitch in Game 1, and Suarez's existence with the Red Sox is largely based on an extremely impressive postseason dossier.

But it sure would be a shame to not see Tolle factor in early and often when it comes to these forthcoming playoffs.

Alex Cora once said when explaining why he pounded the table for Joe Kelly to be on the 2018 postseason, "You don't leave 100 (mph) in the closet." Well, consider Tolle's existence the equivalent of that triple-digit heat.

Pitch 'em if you got 'em.

And if he does get those opportunities, Tolle might just be entering into a different conversation, one where Tatum and Maye are looking over their respective shoulders.